Danish lawmaker calls for the arrest of FM Livni

Wednesday, August 30, 2006 |
by Staff Writer

A member of the Danish Parliament has called for the immediate arrest of Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni upon her arrival in Denmark this week for her part in alleged war crimes in the recent war in Lebanon.

Livni is currently on a European trip and is meeting with foreign leaders including Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller.

The lawmaker, Frank Aaen of the leftist Red-Green Alliance party said that as a part of the Israeli Cabinet, Livni shares the responsibility for the alleged war crimes that he claims took place in Lebanon during the 33 day war. Aaen also filed an official complaint to the Danish Police.

Aaen said in a statement that he believes the minister should be detained while it is being investigated whether she can be charged for war crimes. Aaen said that his claim is based on a report written by Amnesty International saying that Israel had deliberately bombed civilian infrastructure in Lebanon, and is thus guilty of war crimes.

The Danish Government did not comment on the matter and did not say if the police are planning on arresting the Foreign Minister.

Aaen said he would also demand Hizballah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah be detained if he were to travel to Denmark. "Hizballah’s war crimes cannot be measured with those of Israel, but all war criminals must be prosecuted," he said.

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